Cracks Appear in Parks Levy Plans

The Portland City Council on June 2 discussed the future of the Parks Levy, which expires in 2026 and currently pays for 40% of Portland Parks & Recreation’s operating budget.

The council is weighing what levy amount to refer to the November ballot: a simple renewal of the current 80 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value; or an increase to $1.30, $1.60 or $1.80 per $1,000. Parks bureau leaders have warned that if the levy isn’t doubled to $1.60, the bureau will have to cut 25% of its current services.

Councilors Candace Avalos and Angelita Morillo expressed early support for a $1.80 referral, while others—including Councilors Eric Zimmerman and Dan Ryan—pointed to what they saw as issues with the parks bureau.

Zimmerman said the city’s parks support groups have “deep reservations in continuing to work with the leadership at our parks bureau as the relationship is today....I am very concerned that if our cheerleaders can’t cheerlead on the levy, we’re in a pretty precarious position.”

A poll WW reported last week showed weak support for doubling the levy. “Any discord among and between partners and City Councilors will be amplified at the moment of referral and feed public skepticism,” the pollster wrote.

Morillo was one of a handful of councilors who said the recent polling done on a renewed Parks Levy, which shows weak support for a $1.60 levy, was conducted prior to voters understanding just how bad the city’s budget outlook was—and that it may not be reflective of how supportive voters actually are of an increased levy.

“I hope my fellow councilors will leverage those relationships that they have with those groups that are currently threatening the Parks Levy,” she said, “to ensure that they do right by Portlanders.” (Morillo was referring to the Portland Metro Chamber, which has said it will support a future parks levy only if the police bureau budget proposed by Mayor Wilson remains untouched.)